Rudaw calls on Syrian authorities to release journalist Omar Kalo

Rudaw anchor Omar Kalo has been detained by Syrian government officials. Photo: Rudaw

Following the detainment by the Syrian government of anchor Omar Kalo, Rudaw Media Network releases the following statement:

We call for the release of Omar Kalo:

Our colleague Omar Kalo, an anchor at Rudaw Media Network, was separated from his two children and wife and arrested at the Syrian government’s military intelligence checkpoint between Manbij and Aleppo on August 25, 2018, while on his way from his hometown Kobane to Aleppo to renew his passport.

The Syrian military intelligence had subsequently released his wife and two children, and told them they would release Kalo too after asking him some questions.

Kalo is still held by military intelligence in the city of Aleppo. According to his relatives, he will be transferred to the Military Security (Palestine Branch) in Damascus.

We call on the Syrian government to free our colleague Omar Kalo, who as a Rudaw correspondent played an important role in covering the war on ISIS in the city of Kobane. He continued to cover the events in a professional manner. Because of that, he faced much pressure and was forced to turn to Erbil.

He executed his duties as a news anchor on Rudaw television and radio very professionally.

Kalo completed his studies at the journalism school at the University of Damascus. Before joining Rudaw Media Network, he did media work in the city of Kobane. He is known as being professional and apolitical.

We were informed of his arrest on the same day he was arrested, but didn’t publish news of his arrest at the request of his family. After news of his arrest was circulated by some internal organizations, we at Rudaw Media Network unfortunately confirm the truth of this news.